Worst air pollution Lugano, today and tomorrow

Today (30 August): Air quality in Lugano is moderate. AQI and O3 are moderate; NO2 is fair; PM2.5, PM10, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 5:00 PM (O3: 50.2/100).
Tomorrow (31 August 2026): Air quality in Lugano is moderate. All pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 12:00 PM (O3: 56.6/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.

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Lugano's air quality faces the Swiss lake basin challenge, with the city's position in the enclosed Ceresio Lake basin surrounded by Monte San Salvatore and Monte Brè creating topographic concentration of vehicle emissions from the A2 motorway and tourism traffic under frequent winter inversions. The lake breeze provides distinctive daily ventilation, while the surrounding Ticino Alps and the Italian Po Valley influence create unique cross-border air quality dynamics throughout the year.

Today - 30 August | Pollution peaks at 17:00

AQI:

Moderate

50.2/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

14.5/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

7.3/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Fair

24.8/100

O3 (ozone):

Moderate

50.2/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

2.2/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

9.9/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

14.2/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 31 August | Pollution peaks at 12:00

AQI:

Moderate

56.6/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

14.4/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

7.2/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Fair

23.5/100

O3 (ozone):

Moderate

56.6/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

2.5/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

11.0/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

14.4/100

Pollen forecast in Lugano

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Air quality forecasts for neighbourhoods and landmarks in Lugano

Sports venues in Lugano

Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Lugano right now?

On 30 August 2026, overall air quality in Lugano is moderate. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 50.2/100. Pollution peaks around 5:00 PM (O3: 50.2/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Lugano?

On 31 August 2026, air quality conditions in Lugano will be similar to today, with AQI forecast at moderate at 56.6/100. Pollution peaks around 12:00 PM (O3: 56.6/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Lugano?

Winter stillness is the main driver behind poor air quality at Lugano, letting vehicle traffic and tourism settle into the valley until conditions shift and clear it. From spring, conditions steadily pick up in this southern setting, and summer stays mostly clear aside from a rare ozone spike, with autumn usually just as settled.

Are air quality levels in Lugano based on measurements or forecasts?

It is forecasts derived by downscaling forecasts provided by EU’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) by taking into account local conditions such as traffic patterns. CAMS bases its forecast on satellite measurements of particles and chemical compounds in the atmosphere. Airmine’s services were developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team.

Why doesn’t the forecast always reflect wildfire impacts?

Airmine’s forecast uses CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) as its background atmospheric model. While CAMS includes wildfire emissions, these are derived from satellite observations and are not available in real time. During rapidly evolving wildfire events, there may therefore be a delay before increased emissions are incorporated into the model. As a result, the forecast may temporarily underestimate PM₂.₅ and other pollutants associated with wildfire smoke.

During rapidly evolving wildfire events, CAMS may lag by approximately 1–2 days before increased wildfire emissions are fully represented, which can lead to temporary underestimation of PM₂.₅ concentrations in Airmine’s forecast.

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Data provided by Airmine — Last update: 30 August 2026 at 20:26 CEST (Data is updated four times daily.)

This forecast is produced independently using Airmine's own atmospheric data and models.

Unless explicitly made clear, the content on this site has not been paid for by external organisations and is Airmine's sole responsibility.

Disclaimer: Forecasts are provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as medical advice. Actual pollen and air quality conditions may vary from the forecast. If you have allergies, asthma, or another medical condition, consult a healthcare professional. Please see our Terms of Service for important information about limitations of liability.

Some text on this page may be generated or summarised using artificial intelligence (AI). Wherever possible, AI-generated content is enriched with Airmine's proprietary data to improve its accuracy and relevance. However, AI-generated content may still contain errors, omissions, or inaccuracies.

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